Now hiring, LoHi's urHub takes location-based services to new level on Colorado highways

urHub is currently looking to add a salesperson and developers to its six-person staff.

 

Founded in 2011, the company has focused on clients and not the general public with its location-based apps, says CEO John Cronin. 

 

"We'll never make a consumer-facing app," says Cronin. "It's all about our partners."

 

Current clients include the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Breckenridge Resort Chamber. Under the urHub model, clients pay a nominal fee, but the bulk of the revenue comes from advertisers. 

 

"We go out and fund the development through bringing advertisers into the mix," says Cronin. "We look at it and say, 'Can we find a way to fund it?' We won a five-year contract with CDOT -- we're basically building technology for the state for free."

 

The result, CDOT Mobile, is touted by Cronin as "the only app sanctioned by the state" with "the most accurate data about what's happening on Colorado's highways in real time" -- namely I-70.

 

Explains Cronin: "When there are delays of one or two hours, we send a message." The message will often include relevant advertisements from relevant hotels and restaurants.

 

Cronin says urHub is "in discussions" with VC firms for a target infusion of $1.5 million, as well as nine other states for similar deals to its arrangement with CDOT. Other targets include tourism bureaus and like-minded organizations.

Contact Confluence Denver Innovation & Jobs News Editor Eric Peterson with tips and leads for future stories at eric@confluence-denver.com.